Contributor

Kaylee Keech

Freelance Writer · B.S. Biology

Kaylee is a freelance writer covering wildlife and marine science.

She holds a B.S. in Biology and B.A. in Science Writing from Millersville University and has volunteered with Raven Ridge Wildlife Center in Pennsylvania since 2017.

Follows Outforia's editorial standards

57 stories published

Stories by Kaylee Keech

Common starfish on a rocky seabed, its purple and orange arms and central disc covered in tiny spines and soft tube feet

Wildlife

How Do Starfish Reproduce? A Deep Dive into the Dual Modes of Starfish Reproduction

Starfish broadcast spawn sexually by releasing millions of eggs and sperm, or clone themselves asexually via fissiparity and autonomy.

A green sea turtle glides low over a swaying seagrass meadow in clear, turquoise shallow water

Wildlife

Facing the Waves: A Deep Dive into the Endangered World of Green Sea Turtles

Green sea turtles are the largest hard-shelled sea turtles globally, endangered due to poaching, fishing bycatch, and climate change threats.

A small octopus with a bright golden eye tucked inside a half coconut shell on a sandy seabed

Wildlife

The Remarkable Coconut Octopus: Intelligence in the Depths

Coconut octopuses are highly intelligent invertebrates that carry and use coconut shells as portable shelters, representing the first known tool use by an invertebrate.

Wildlife

Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks: A Deep Dive Into These Endangered Ocean Predators

Scalloped hammerhead sharks migrate daily between deep ocean and coastal waters, with females forming large schools, but face critically endangered status from fishing.

A sandy-brown lemon shark cruises just above a pale sandy seabed in clear, shallow tropical water

Wildlife

The Remarkable Lemon Shark: Gentle Giants of The Sea

Lemon sharks are docile ocean predators with yellowish skin, reaching up to 12 feet long and rarely threatening humans despite their sharp teeth.

A giant orange jellyfish with long trailing tentacles drifting through blue water above a rocky seabed

Wildlife

Nomura’s Jellyfish: A Crisis at Sea

Nomura jellyfish reach 441 pounds with a 6.6-foot bell, exploding in population due to warming waters and ecosystem decline.

A large pale orange jellyfish with a smooth bell and frilly trailing arms drifting in clear blue-green water

Wildlife

Fried Egg Jellyfish: A Deep Dive into Their Mysterious Lives

Discover fried egg jellyfish, spotted creatures with weak stings that share tentacles with fish and crabs.

A transparent jellyfish with fine trailing tentacles and an orange glow at its center drifts in dark blue water

Wildlife

Crystal Jellyfish: The Glowing Marvel of the Ocean

Crystal jellyfish produce blue-green bioluminescence via 100+ light organs, thriving in the Pacific Ocean off North America. These nearly transparent medusae live up to 2 years captive and emit aequorin protein revolutionizing genetic research.

A gray eastern screech-owl peers out from a hollow in a large tree trunk, blending in with the bark

Wildlife

Owls in Michigan: How to Spot and Identify All 11 Species

Michigan hosts 11 owl species with asymmetrical ears and silent flight, making them expert nocturnal hunters in diverse habitats.

Translucent jellyfish with four ring-shaped organs drifting through green water above a kelp-covered seabed

Wildlife

Unveiling the Mystery: How Long Do Jellyfish Live?

Most jellyfish live one to three years, though some species live only months while the immortal jellyfish can theoretically live forever.

A large grey shark with pale mottled skin and a blunt snout swims through deep blue open water

Wildlife

How Long Do Sharks Live? Unraveling the Mystery

Most sharks live 20 to 30 years, but some species like whale sharks and Greenland sharks live over 100 years in ocean depths.

Five flamingos fly in a line over a shallow lagoon in warm low light, long necks and pink legs stretched out

Wildlife

Can Flamingos Fly? Uncovering the Startling Reality

Flamingos fly 31-37 mph in V-formation, migrating 311-373 miles overnight at altitudes up to 20,000 feet for breeding and food.

A black bear curled up asleep inside a den beneath a tree root, with snow covering the ground around it

Wildlife

13 Fascinating Animals That Hibernate: Nature’s Masters

13 hibernating animals enter torpor, reducing metabolism 95 percent and heart rate from 300 to 6 bpm to survive harsh winters on stored energy.

A reddish-pink flapjack octopus with ear-like fins hovering just above a muddy seafloor

Wildlife

Flapjack Octopus: Meet the Cutest Octopus In the Ocean

Flapjack octopuses inhabit deep ocean floors at 430 to 7,710 feet, reddish-orange in color, and famously inspired the Finding Nemo character Pearl.

A mottled octopus rests on a rocky seafloor with kelp blades drifting behind it and one arm curled at the tip

Wildlife

14 Ocean Animals Uncovered: The Fascinating World Beneath the Waves

Meet 14 fascinating ocean animals, from intelligent octopuses and vital coral reefs to endangered sea turtles and ancient sharks.

A dolphin's head and eye just above the surface of calm, rippling blue-gray water in soft evening light

Wildlife

How Do Dolphins Sleep? With One Eye Open

Dolphins sleep with only half their brain at a time, keeping one eye open and staying semi-conscious to breathe and watch for predators.

Translucent jellyfish with four-ringed markings drifting in deep green water beside two more jellyfish

Wildlife

What Do Jellyfish Eat? Discover the Diet of These Mysterious Creatures

Jellyfish are opportunistic carnivores eating copepods, fish larvae, fish eggs, and plankton using stinging tentacles to paralyze prey.

A small sand-colored octopus with banded arms spread across a sandy seafloor, its eyes raised above its head

Wildlife

The Mysterious Mimic Octopus: Master Of Disguise Revealed

Mimic octopuses are master disguise artists that can imitate 15 other animal species using chromatophores, living in Indo-Pacific waters.

A black siamang with its throat sac inflated hangs from a tree trunk, one arm stretched wide and mouth open mid-call

Wildlife

Unlocking the Mystery of Siamangs: Life, Behavior, and Conservation of the Largest Gibbons

Meet the largest gibbons, with a grapefruit-sized throat sac they inflate to make calls heard 2 miles through Southeast Asian rainforests.

A reddish-orange octopus tucked into a rocky crevice, its textured skin, eye and suckers visible beneath kelp

Wildlife

How Long Do Octopus Live? A Look at The Mystery of The Intelligence, Reproduction, And Demise Of These Fascinating Creatures

Octopuses live six months to five years depending on species, with females dying shortly after laying eggs through a process called senescence.

A male mandarin duck with orange sail feathers and a russet face ruff swimming on dark, calm water at dusk

Wildlife

All About The Mandarin Duck – The World’s Most Beautiful Duck

Mandarin ducks are strikingly colorful perching ducks native to East Asia, revered in Asian culture as symbols of love, loyalty, and marital harmony.

A black spider monkey with a pale chest lounging along a mossy tree branch among bright green leaves

Wildlife

How Long Do Monkeys Live? Exploring the Intriguing Lives of Monkeys and Their Lifespans

Monkeys live 10 to 30 years depending on species; Prosimians live 10 to 15 years while Old World monkeys live up to 30 years.

A bright red male northern cardinal faces a duller brown female on a budding branch, their beaks nearly touching

Wildlife

How Do Birds Mate And Where Do Eggs Come From? A Deep Dive into the Unique World of Bird Reproduction

Birds mate via cloacal kiss with internal fertilization. Only 3 percent of male birds have penises, mostly water species like ducks and geese.

A person arranges blocks of ice around packaged food inside an open white cooler at a campsite

Camping

How Long Does Dry Ice Last? Essential Tips & Tricks!

Dry ice lasts eighteen to twenty-four hours in a cooler, three to five hours unprotected, and only fifteen to forty-five minutes in liquid.

Golden snub-nosed monkey with orange fur and a pale blue face sitting in a snow-dusted tree in winter light

Wildlife

Golden Snub-Nosed Monkey: All About The Monkey Who Loves Snow

Discover golden snub-nosed monkeys; China's endangered primates with specialized noses adapted for snow and freezing temperatures.

Large warty brown toad sitting among grass at the edge of shallow, algae-dotted water in warm evening light

Wildlife

Toxic Amphibians – All About Poisonous Frogs in Florida

Florida has three poisonous frog species: cane toads deadly to dogs, Cuban treefrogs with mild toxins, and gray treefrogs with skin irritants.

An adult male proboscis monkey with a large drooping nose sitting in a tree among green leaves

Wildlife

Proboscis Monkey: All About These Long-Nosed Primates

Proboscis monkeys are large-nosed primates from Borneo with specialized chambered stomachs and complex diets. Deforestation has pushed them toward endangered status.

A whale with a pale snout and scratched brown back surfacing in calm blue ocean, a faint spout behind it

Wildlife

How Long Can Whales Hold Their Breath? Deep Divers & Master Lungs

Most whales hold breath 5-30 minutes; some species exceed 90 minutes through oxygen storage in blood.

Several humpback whales surface together in a group, with a raised pectoral fin and splashing water near a hilly shore

Wildlife

How Do Whales Mate and Reproduce? Sex Underwater Explained

Male whales court females through fighting, breaching, singing, and penis displays before successful mating underwater.

Sea turtle gliding over a shallow coral reef in clear blue water, its patterned shell lit by sunlight

Wildlife

How Long Do Sea Turtles Live? All About Their Best Kept Secret

Sea turtles live 30 to 50 years on average, though some species may reach 90 to 100 years; exact lifespans remain difficult to determine.

An electric eel's blunt head and thick body in dark, tea-colored water among submerged roots and branches

Wildlife

How Do Electric Eels Work? All About The Fish That Will Shock You

Electric eels generate up to 600 volts using 6,000 specialized muscle cells that work together to produce deadly shocks for hunting and defense.

Muddy water winding in shallow channels between grassy clumps on a wetland flat, with conifers on the horizon

Natural World

How Are Deltas Formed? Full Explanation with Examples

Deltas form where slow-moving rivers deposit sediment at lake or ocean mouths, creating nutrient-rich wetlands that support diverse ecosystems.

Gray squirrel perched on a tree branch holding a nut in its paws, with blurred autumn leaves behind

Wildlife

How Long Do Squirrels Live? Longer Than You’d Think

Wild squirrels live three to fifteen years depending on species, while captive squirrels reach up to twenty-five years with protection from predators.

A female and male mallard swimming close together on still water in front of a reed bed

Wildlife

How Do Ducks Mate? It’s Weirder Than You Think

Male ducks have corkscrew-shaped penises; females have anti-corkscrew vaginas. Their complex anatomy evolved to prevent forced mating.

A large boulder of banded metamorphic rock with swirling folds of dark and pale minerals, a rock hammer at its base

Natural World

How Are Metamorphic Rocks Formed? (Full Explanation)

Metamorphic rocks form deep underground when existing igneous or sedimentary rocks experience extreme heat, pressure, or mineral-rich fluids without melting.

Black bear with a dark brown coat walking head down over rocky, pine-needle-covered ground in an open conifer forest

Wildlife

Spotting Bears In Arizona: What To Expect

Arizona's only bear species, the black bear, thrives in Rocky Mountain forests despite weighing 200 to 600 pounds and can live up to 20 years in the wild.

Wildlife

40 Different Types of Birds Across The World: Photos + Facts

Over 10,000 bird species inhabit Earth, from tiny hummingbirds to massive eagles, each adapted to unique ecological niches.

A cicada with red eyes and orange-veined wings clinging to a mossy tree trunk beside its empty shed shell

Wildlife

How Long Do Cicadas Live? It Might Surprise You

Cicadas live two to 17 years total, spending most of their life as nymphs underground and only one month above ground as adults.

A male northern cardinal with a bright red crest and black face perches on a thin twig among budding leaves

Wildlife

Top 29 Beautiful Backyard Birds Of North Carolina (With Pictures)

Spot 29 North Carolina backyard birds including state bird cardinal, eastern bluebird, and ruby-throated hummingbird with identification and feeders.

A peregrine falcon in a steep dive with wings swept back above a rocky sea cliff and gray surf

Wildlife

The 18 Fastest Birds In The World

Peregrine falcons exceed 242 mph in dives, making them Earth's fastest animals; 18 bird species showcase extreme aerial performance.

Scarlet macaw in flight through dense green rainforest, blue and yellow wing spread and long red tail trailing

Wildlife

39 Fascinating Amazon Rainforest Animals, Birds & Insects

39 Amazon rainforest animals including jaguars, anacondas, pink river dolphins, and countless insect species inhabit this 2.3-million-square-mile ecosystem.

Wildlife

26 Swamp Animals & Their Fascinating Habitat

Swamps host 26 unique animal species and cover 25% of Earth's landmass, capturing carbon faster than most ecosystems.

A black and white woodpecker clinging to a dark tree trunk with bark chipped away, snowy conifer forest behind

Wildlife

The 8 Stunning Woodpeckers In PA: ID Guide with Facts and Pics

Eight woodpecker species live in Pennsylvania forests, from the common Downy to the rare Black-backed, each adapted with reinforced skulls and 2-foot-long sticky tongues.

Two sharks with black-tipped fins glide side by side over a sandy, coral-dotted seafloor in clear shallow blue water

Wildlife

How Do Sharks Mate? It Might Surprise You

Over 400 shark species reproduce three ways: viviparity with live birth, oviparity laying eggs, or ovoviviparity with internal egg hatching.

Group of large whales resting at the surface of calm blue water, one blunt head raised above the waves

Wildlife

How Do Whales Sleep? All About Their Surprising Ways to Slumber

Whales sleep with only half their brain at a time, allowing breathing and predator awareness underwater.

A box turtle with a dark shell marked in yellow walking across pine needles and leaf litter beside grass

Wildlife

31+ Florida Turtles: ID Guide with Facts, Chart and Photos

Florida hosts over 30 native turtle species, more than any other U.S. state. Five sea turtles nest on Florida beaches annually.

An eel with a long olive-brown body swims through open blue water with bits of seaweed drifting nearby

Wildlife

How Do Eels Reproduce? The Mystery of Eel Sex Explained

Eels migrate thousands of miles to the Sargasso Sea where they spawn via external fertilization, release millions of eggs, then die.

Tiered waterfall cascading over layered rock ledges through an autumn forest with yellowing leaves

Destinations

10 Of The Best Waterfalls In PA: You Can’t Miss These Falls

Discover 10 of Pennsylvania's most impressive waterfalls, from the 178-foot Raymondskill Falls to remote Ricketts Glen's 22-cascade trail.

A tiger shark gliding just above a rocky, coral-covered seabed in sunlit blue water, seen from the side

Wildlife

10 Types of Sharks In Maui: List with Facts and Photos

Maui's insular shelf supports more tiger sharks than all other Hawaiian islands combined; ideal breeding and hunting habitat for 10 common species.

A wet otter with slicked brown fur standing on a mossy streambank, whiskers glistening, water behind it

Wildlife

13 Types Of Otters And Where They Live: With Facts and Images

13 otter species worldwide, from sea otters to giant otters, each adapted to unique aquatic and semi-aquatic habitats.

A tiger shark with faint vertical stripes swimming through clear blue water above a sandy reef floor

Wildlife

10 Most Common Sharks In Hawaii: Facts and Pictures

Hawaii waters host 40 shark species; 10 frequent coastal areas; tiger sharks largest; sharks are largely indifferent to humans.

A rattlesnake coiled on a lichen-covered boulder among dead leaves, its rattle raised behind the body

Wildlife

13 Snakes in PA: Nonvenomous to Venomous (With Pictures and Facts)

Pennsylvania hosts 13 common snake species; only 3 are venomous, with most being docile and posing little threat to humans.

A ruffed grouse with a small crest and barred tail stands on a moss-covered log in a green forest

Wildlife

14 Amazing Birds Of Pennsylvania: Pictures and ID Guide with Facts

Discover 14 Pennsylvania birds including state bird ruffed grouse, American crow, and pileated woodpecker with field identification and habitat facts.

Orb-weaver spider with a cross-marked abdomen hanging at the center of a dew-covered web in soft light

Wildlife

All 21 Types of Spiders: Identification Guide with Pictures + Facts

Over 40,000 spider species exist worldwide, with only 3,000 found in the US, and most pose zero threat to humans.

Several fan palms with shaggy trunks growing among pine trees and low scrub under an overcast sky

Plant Life

39 Types of Palm Trees: Complete Identification Guide with Images and Facts

39 common palm tree types from tropical Arecaceae family, ranging 6 to 100 feet tall with unique frond and trunk shapes.

Steep dark volcanic cone with a thin stream of glowing orange lava down its side and a backpack on the ground

Natural World

All About The 4 Types of Volcanoes+ Formation, Eruption, and Facts

Four main volcano types exist: cinder cones, composite volcanoes, shield volcanoes, and lava domes. Eruption power varies by type.

A blue crab with both claws raised standing on a wet tidal flat of sand and small shells with marsh grass beyond

Wildlife

20 Different Types of Crabs: Facts, Pictures & Chart

Learn about 20 crab types including blue crabs, spanning 4500+ species that survived 400 million years.